Public Memorial Service Set for Padres Announcer Jerry Coleman

The famed baseball announcer died on Jan. 5 at the age of 89

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COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 31: Jerry Coleman points to his wife in the crowd after receiving the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually to a baseball broadcaster for major contributions to the game, during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 31, 2005 at the Clark Sports Complex in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The San Diego Padres have announced plans for an upcoming public memorial service for famed baseball announcer Jerry Coleman.

According to the team, the free memorial event celebrating Coleman’s life and legacy will be held Jan. 18 at 10:30 a.m. at Petco Park in downtown San Diego.

Organizers say the ballpark gates open at 9:30 a.m. Fans can enter through the East Village gate on 10th Avenue or the Park Boulevard gate on Park Boulevard. Free parking is available at two surface lots along Imperial Avenue (Parcel C lot and Tailgate lot) on the southeast side of Petco Park and at the Padres Parkade garage on 10th Avenue at J Street.

In addition, the 6th & K Parkade downtown announced Thursday that it would also provide free parking for those attending Coleman's memorial. The 6th & K Parkade has 1,000 parking spots available and is directly across the street from the west entrance to Petco Park.

Jim Laslavic on Jerry Coleman

Family friends have confirmed that longtime San Diego Padres baseball announcer Jerry Coleman passed away at the age of 89 on Sunday. NBC 7's Jim Laslavic shares some memories of the Coleman. (Published Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014)

Padres reps say the event will celebrate Coleman’s storied life and will feature special guests from throughout his career and lifetime.

The iconic Padres announcer – who coined memorable phrases including “Oh, Doctor!” and “You can hang a star on that baby!” – died on Jan. 5. He was 89 years old.

Following Coleman’s death, Padres president Mike Dee said the icon would be truly missed and always remembered by the team, Major League Baseball and the City of San Diego.

"It's hard to put into words what Jerry meant to this franchise," Dee said.

Fans Pay Tribute to Jerry Coleman

Sports fans mourned the loss of Jerry Coleman who died at the age of 89 on Sunday. NBC 7's Vanessa Herrera reports. (Published Monday, Jan. 6, 2014)

Coleman spent more than 70 years in pro baseball, a career that included four World Series titles with the New York Yankees. His baseball career was interrupted by World War II and the Korean War, when he served as a Marine Corps pilot. He flew 120 missions combined in the two wars.

For fans who’d like to make a donation in Coleman’s memory, the Padres say the Coleman family recommends making a contribution to the Semper Fi Fund, a non-profit that supports injured and ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.